AZE.US
Russia has expressed readiness to discuss the restoration of railway sections in Armenia leading to the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said.
Mirzoyan told Armenia’s Public Television that signals from Russian representatives had arrived within the past “two or three days.”
According to the minister, Moscow is prepared to negotiate the project’s practical terms, including who would finance the work and how much each side might invest.
Much will depend on the conditions under which the project is implemented, Mirzoyan said, adding that Armenia’s relevant government agencies must still examine the proposal.
The planned work concerns railway sections connecting Yeraskh with the Azerbaijani border near the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Gyumri with the Turkish border.
Restoration of the lines could reopen Soviet-era rail connections between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, creating new freight routes across the South Caucasus.
The project could also support wider efforts to unblock regional transportation links following progress in the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process.
However, no construction timetable, estimated budget or financing agreement has been announced.
Earlier negotiations focused on two sections measuring approximately 1.6 kilometers and 12.4 kilometers. Russian officials have said their restoration could eventually provide rail access through the region toward Turkey, Iran and the Mediterranean.
AZE.US